Planning a Bali Honeymoon? Special romantic getaway? Or just looking for Bali Villa rentals to spoil yourself as part of your trip to Bali. Pristine luxury, convenience and an unforgettable all inclusive experience await you at Samabe Bali Suites & Villas. C’mon, you know you deserve it.
We really try not to just write “hotel reviews” in the traditional sense. Typically, a hotel is a place to sleep (hopefully a great place to sleep!) and it’s really the destination that inspires us to travel. But just occasionally we stay somewhere when the hotel itself is the experience. The hotel itself inspires us to want to be there, and to want to go back one day.
Longing. It’s the ultimate emotion that proves you went somewhere truly incredible. That you feel almost compelled to return.
And as frequent travelers who have now visited 85+ countries, trust me, not everywhere has such a positive and perpetual emotional response weeks, or even years, after leaving.
We stayed at Samabe Bali Suites & Villas, situated on the south coast of Nusa Dua, Bali. With a very private beach, and a spectacular panoramic view of the coast line from the private pool villas and suites atop the cliffs.
This can be a completely all inclusive experience. Actually there are two options at Samabe – the fully all inclusive that has extra benefits like all meals and alcohol, daily massage etc. And the limited privileges package that still includes a lot, as I’ll be talking about below. We had the limited package during our stay.
For anyone that follows our blog, you may know that being independent and going out to explore is an essential part of the travel experience for us. And it still is. But we have certainly been swayed as to the benefits of resort life, especially when it’s all inclusive.
The ease and simplicity of just knowing everything is taken care of. It’s truly freeing. Once you are there you can really let go of everything and just be.
To imagine a life of moving from one all inclusive resort to the next. It would certainly be an indulgence too far. But to let yourself really relax and enjoy being pampered, just for a while, that’s really something. The second we arrived at Samabe, stress floated away. That’s something we don’t get as often as we’d like.
With an incredible all inclusive experience, you can have food, fun and travel all in one neat and exciting package.
The Resort & Pool Villas: The Experience
Sit and contemplate the world from your ocean view bathtub (Ocean front Suites)
Relax in your private infinity pool. Or head down to the Ring of Fire pool bar and listen to the distant sounds of the waves on the beach below the cliffs.
If you are looking for an escape, Samabe is the perfect little bubble away from the real world. And we ALL need this escape sometimes. A pristine location, impeccably manicured. You are received warmly and treated like royalty from the second you arrive.
Your private butler seems to second guess your needs. When you return from dinner, your evening turn down service is not just some fresh towels. Your slippers and bath robes will be out and ready for you, the blinds in the bedroom pulled down and a new pillow on the bed wishing you a good night’s sleep. You can even choose from the pillow menu, ensuring you have only the best night’s sleep.
When you come back from breakfast the next morning, the bed is already made and the blinds up again so you can enjoy the view of the ocean. Most importantly, all these little touches seem to be achieved conspicuously. The invisible staff are in and out.
It’s like living in the Truman Show, except with a benevolent resort owner wanting only perfection for your every experience.
Even the monkeys seem to turn up outside your door on cue every morning.
Dining
If you are planning on staying in just one place for a few days, then you are going to need a variety of food options. You will not be going hungry at Samabe.
Breakfast
First of all, you can get breakfast served to your room. Sorry, to your private pool villa. That’s a whole different experience. But for the most extensive breakfast options, you have to head to the buffet.
Breakfast buffets are often disappointing. Food sits out, stewing in it’s own sweat. Typically it’s hard to get a 100% positive rating on a buffet. In fact, I can list on one hand, breakfast buffet’s worldwide that truly wowed. The buffet is not the foodie’s friend.
Going in with low expectations, it’s fair to say that what makes Samabe’s buffet good is the sheer selection. Sushi, gazpacho soup, fresh baked muffins, satay – as well as the obligatory bacon, of course. They claim this is a breakfast buffet like no other, and that I would agree with. But can they avoid the breakfast buffet curse? Sort of…
Samabe do have an extensive a la carte breakfast menu (included, of course) as well as a “design your own sandwich” station – freshly toasted. When you can order wagyu steak and eggs, you have to feel a little like you are getting something above and beyond. And I’m not saying the buffet was bad. Certain dishes can handle sitting out for a while. Other don’t fare so well.
Order a la carte, and be picky about what you pick up, and you are going to walk away very happy.
Cooking Class
However, if you want the freshest, most interactive experience, then sign up for the cooking class (included). One of Samabe’s experienced chef’s is ready to share Indonesian culinary knowledge and help you cook up some quality local food.
We made Pepes Ikan. This is fish steamed inside a banana leaf. Using high quality fresh snapper, and coarsely chopping the fish, rather than the usual minced version we’d had elsewhere, made for an exemplary incarnation of this classic.
Afternoon tea
The food just keeps coming. Afternoon tea comes served in a bird cage. A quirky twist on the multi tier British high tea. We loved it! Order to your room, or by the poolside (Where you also receive cucumber eye compress and a mini massage).
As much fruit and juice as you can possibly consume
We’d been talking about trying to healthy up our diet. Well, with an unlimited supply of fruit you can certainly get the toxins out. Your personal butler will bring you whatever fruit or virgin cocktails you require, 24/7.
So, will you have space for dinner?
If so, the main dining area, Rempah Rempah offers a rotating themed selection “Spices of Asia”, featuring everything from Mongolian to Malaysian.
You can also opt to dine in one of the ocean view cabanas at Crystal Blue Ocean Grill, stepping stoned between sunken fish ponds, dine on lobster ravioli with sea urchin foam, while fish swim beneath you.
Other Activities
Aside from enjoying the pool, food and cooking class. Other activities are included.
A morning ocean view yoga class. Traditional wood carving class.
We even hung out with Mr Irul, Samabe’s cultural advisor, who explained about Balinese history, culture, and taught us how to make art from palm leaves – it turned out somewhat like a palm leaf origami class.
Or head down to the beach to use any of the non-motorised water sports equipment, including Kayaks, catamarans and windsurfing, snorkelling and stand up paddle board gear.
You can fill your day as much as you like, or just chill in your luxury villa eating fruit and watching nextflix. It’s your experience.
The Verdict
It’s hard to compare an all inclusive resort with an independent vacation. So don’t. If you are insistent on booking every last detail yourself, as we sometimes are, then letting someone else do the paperwork may be taking some of the “fun” out of travel.
But, when you are tired from work and stressed out about whether those trip advisor reviews you read about that Indonesian restaurant have actually been written by someone with any passion for food at all… Then it may be time to hand over the reigns to the experts and just enjoy the freedom of not having to worry about it. Any of it.
Is taking a cooking class with an expert Indonesian chef at a 5 star resort less of an “Experience” than searching out a home cooking class from a local grandmother who has been cooking for her family for 40 years. I favour both. I can’t compare them.
So if you are already a convert to the all inclusive way of travel, you are going to be happy at Samabe. If you are weighing up if it’s time to take your first all inclusive vacation, know that it’s a different way to travel. It’s not a substitute for getting out into the community and seeing a country from the ground. It’s just an alternative. An incredibly enjoyable alternative.
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Disclaimer: we did receive our stay at Samabe complimentary – all opinions remain our own. This post contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting our blog by using them.